Thursday, May 30, 2013

July 3

Weather permitting, that's when the Goodwill residents will be coming over to enjoy our display, probably after 8pm. This means we'll have two days to celebrate Independence Day.

Monday, May 27, 2013

July 4 Update

First off, Happy Memorial Day! May our Savior have mercy on the souls of all of our nation's fallen soldiers, and even on all 'enemy' soldiers as well.

The last couple of weeks, I've made some surgical strikes at JoAnn's and Michael's: garland, ornaments, spinners, fake flowers, bells, etc. I've been speaking with our local Goodwill organization and trying to organize the upcoming Independence Day celebration. I should have the details nailed down pretty soon.

In the meantime, here's a rough draft of Mr. Holidays' 1st Annual July 4 Yard Display:

In the front yard, I plan on decorating an artificial Independence Day Tree. Around the tree, I'll see if I can set up a big circle of sparklers, which will be lit at the appropriate time. Along the walkway leading up to the front porch, I will set up 6 tall shepherd's crooks with red, white, and blue lanterns hanging from them. In between, I will set up 4 short shepherd's crooks, each with a red, white, and blue set of bells hanging from them. Red, white, and blue spinners will be scattered nearby on the ground.

For those Goodwill residents who are able to attend, I will probably give each of them a party popper and candy-filled July 4 party cracker. For those who cannot, I'll deliver their goodies to the home a little earlier and let the staff members hand them out while the other residents are riding out to the display.

And of course, local family and friends will be invited to view the display and participate in the festivities if they so choose.

July 4 is only 38 days away.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Springtime Halloween

In our neighborhood, we have a few trees whose leaves are changing colors as if it were Fall. The tree in the video below has a rather black trunk, so perhaps the Fall colors are due to some type of inherent health issue? Or, I did read that late frosts can sometimes alter the pigmentation of Spring leaves. We have had 3 frosts so far this Spring.

Anyway, it's kind of fun to have a taste of Halloween in the Spring. Maybe someday, I'll create a 'Springtime Spirit Grove' display. Young Marrow does something like this in his backyard down in New Zealand.


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Tree of Life

"Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden..." Genesis 2:9

"He drove out man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life." Genesis 3:24

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life...and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22: 1,2


When I saw this tree on our street, I was reminded of the biblical Tree of Life. In the Old Testament, the Tree of Life, whether literal or poetic, is generally viewed as the means of mankind's conditional immortality in the Garden of Eden. After mankind's fall from grace, the original couple was driven out of the garden lest they would partake of the Tree of Life and live forever in a state of spiritual and physical decay. In the last book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, the Tree of Life makes a comeback in the vision of a new heaven and a new earth. Again, whether literal or poetic, it appears to be the source of healing and eternal life.

One thing that's always been in the back of my mind is creating a 'Garden of Eden' yard haunt display in future years. I think the drama of the two trees (Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) in the middle of the garden would make for a real spectacle. Someday......